


From Euphoria

by spibsy (lucy_and_ramona)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Gen, M/M, Platonic Cuddling, Puppy Piles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-11
Updated: 2012-03-11
Packaged: 2018-01-07 06:39:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1116685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucy_and_ramona/pseuds/spibsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their first night in the X Factor house. Sleep is elusive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From Euphoria

"Hey, guys?" Niall says quietly, and Liam imagines he probably doesn't want to wake up anyone if they're asleep. Liam's pretty sure none of them are asleep, though. He's very awake, at least.

"Yeah?" he says, his own voice soft, but as he hears mutters from the other three as well, he decides being quiet isn't that important. "What's wrong, Nialler?"

Niall stays silent for a moment, but nobody pushes him because they can sense that he's got something to say.

"I can't sleep," he says slowly. "Can you guys sleep?"

"I can't," Louis responds immediately from the bed beneath Harry's. "And going by the way Harold's been making his bunk creak, he's either tossing and turning or he's been getting himself off for an hour and a half."

"Don't be disgusting," Harry replies in a longsuffering tone. "Zayn, how about you over there?"

"If I _was_ sleeping, I wouldn't be anymore, would I, not with you all chattering away," Zayn mumbles, but it's audible to all of them.

"Anybody got any ideas for what we can do about that?" Liam's stumped, really. He's never had trouble falling asleep, not even away from home, and yet, he's wide awake now.

"We could nick some of Cher's cough syrup," Louis suggests, obviously getting up if the rustling from his bed is any indication. "Couple gulps and we'll be out like _that_." He snaps his fingers for emphasis.

"Gratuitous drug use is not the answer here." Liam sighs and swings his legs off the bed. He's got the only single, so he doesn't have to worry about stepping on anyone, at least. "Any other suggestions?"

Louis sounds closer when he next speaks. "If we're going to be megastars, gratuitous drug use is _always_ the answer." He doesn't sound serious, though, not that Louis ever really does.

The others are getting off their beds as well from the sounds of it, and Liam cringes when Harry apparently steps on some body part of Zayn's.

Niall gets the light, flooding the room with it and making them all temporarily blind. He apologizes, sitting in the middle of the floor. He shrugs when he receives questioning looks from the others. "There aren't any chairs in here," he reasons.

That sounds like a good enough point, so by silent agreement they all form a haphazard circle, uncertain of what to do. Harry looks wan and pale in the harsh lighting, and Liam is grateful when Louis wraps an arm around him, because he'd been about to do it himself.

There's a quiet snuffling sound from next to him and when Liam looks, Niall is obviously distressed, his eyes clenched shut and his face bright red. Liam presses his hand to the side of Niall's neck, coaxing him to rest his head on his shoulder without thinking.

He meets Zayn's eyes as Niall clutches his shirt, and understanding passes through them. Zayn scoots closer than he had been before, and lightly begins to comb his fingers through Niall's hair.

Niall begins to quiet at the touch, and Liam subconciously begins to murmur, soft, soothing sounds. It's not that he thinks Niall is a child needing to be soothed, really, just that it's the only way he knows how to calm people down.

When he glances back over to the others, Harry and Louis are in a similar position, with Harry's legs curled underneath him as he presses his face into Louis's neck and his shoulders hitching lightly every so often.

Louis is saying something softly into Harry's ear, rubbing his back in slow, soothing motions. Liam can't hear it but it's obviously helping, and he shoots Louis an approving look when the other boy looks his way.

Liam is struck with an idea as he feels Zayn start rubbing small circles between Niall's shoulderblades. "Maybe we could all just sleep here?" he asks, uncertain. Everyone's looking at him now and he's never really liked being the center of attention, which is why part of him had really liked the idea of being in a band even if he's never thought of it before. "We could bring the pillows and blankets and things down here and just sleep down here."

"In a big pile?" But Louis looks more amused than condescending. "Like puppies?"

"I want to," Harry says quietly, his eyes red but dry as he meets Liam's. "I think it's a good idea."

Zayn gets up after he ruffles Niall's hair gently, reaching up to drag the pillows and the duvet off of the top bunk and then the bottom and tossing them into the middle. He shrugs. "Efficient."

Louis grins at him and carefully leans Harry against Liam's other side before getting up to do the same to the other beds. Harry curls into him a little and Liam runs his fingers through the back of his hair.

Once there's a pile of bedding, they arrange it, two of the large covers over the floor for them to lie on while the other three can be used for their actual purpose. There's no real rhyme or reason to the way they lie, and they're sort of all on top of each other, but Liam doesn't mind because he actually feels comfortable, like a sense of belonging.

He's lying on his back and Harry's still next to him, though he's facing Louis. Niall's head is pillowed on Liam's chest, and Zayn has curled himself around both of their heads, one of his hands lazily playing with Liam's hair. It feels really nice, so Liam doesn't say anything in case Zayn stops.

At one point, before Liam drops off, Louis mutters something about the light and apparently gets up, because Harry makes a noise of protest before rolling over and - there's no other word for it - _cuddling_ into Liam's side.

The room plunges into darkness and Louis pads back across the floor, dropping in next to Harry and hooking an arm around his waist. The backs of his knuckles rub against Liam's side and then press there firmly, like Louis wants Liam to know he's there.

"Cheating on me, are we?" Louis's voice is warm and rich with amusement, and even though he's speaking into Harry's ear, they can all hear him. "Does Liam buy you pearls?"

"I don't wear pearls, you tit," Harry mumbles against Liam's shoulder before his mouth opens wide in a yawn.

"You'll both be wearing pearls if you don't shut it so I can sleep," Zayn warns. As far as threats go, it doesn't make much sense, but Louis and Harry both fall silent.

The last thing Liam remembers before he falls asleep is Niall mumbling something against his chest that sounds like 'home'.


End file.
